[U.S. Judge Warns: DOJ Appeal Could Disrupt Trump Tariff Refund Process] BlockBeats News, June 5 – A federal trade judge has made a rare public statement regarding the Trump administration's appeal of a tariff refund ruling, as the legal battle over control of the refund process intensifies. U.S. Court of International Trade Judge Richard Eaton on Wednesday issued an open letter directly addressing the Department of Justice's appeal of his ruling, questioning the government's legal stance and warning that intervention by the appellate court could disrupt the online application system, which has already processed at least $85 billion in refunds. The Department of Justice responded later that day, stating that the online refund system was established under its "own authority," attempting to distance the system from Judge Eaton's tariff refund ruling. The DOJ's core argument in its formal appeal this week is that CBP (Customs and Border Protection) has no legal authority to reopen "finally liquidated" import entries, and that Eaton lacks the authority to issue refund orders for importers who have not independently filed lawsuits in the trade court. The outcome of this case directly affects whether approximately 330,000 importers who paid the disputed tariffs can successfully obtain refunds, with small businesses facing particular challenges in the application process drawing significant attention.